Water-meter.



No. 675,I45v. Patented May 28, |90I..

J. A. TILDEN. WATER METER.

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UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. TILDEN, OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATER-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 675,145, dated May 28, 1901. Application tiled October 9, 1900. Serial No. 32,528. (No model.)

especially to that class in which there is a cas-- ing containing the registering mechanismvarranged to be operated from a spindle actuated by the metermechanism; and my invention consists in providing two independent sealed casings for the meter andregister devices and i in constructing and connecting the same, as fully set forthhereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a side View of a meter embodying rny improvements, the connecting-supf port between the meter and register casings in section. Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the two casings of an ordinary meter detached from each other, with the intermediate su pi port in dotted lines; Fig. 3, a sectional view on the line 3 3, Fig. 1.

The meter, which may be of any usual or desired form or construction, has a casing A, with inlet 1 and outlet 2, adapted for connection in the line of supply-pipe, and the spindle 3, which is to actuate the registering mechanism, extends through a packing-box 4 at the top of the casing. Usually the registering mechanism is arranged within a casing formed by a cap bolted to the casing A, the top of which thus forms the bottom of the register-chamber, the spindle 3 being connected with the gears of said mechanism to operate This has the disadvantage, even if the meter-casing is carefully sealed, so that there can be no flow therefrom to the register-casing. There is yet opportunity for Water from outside sources to lind its way to the registering-casing and its mechanism and for the latter to become clogged and its operations impaired or prevented by particles jamming in the gears. Further difculties arise from the effort to properly pack and connect a spindle passing from one casing to another. To avoid these results, I use two casings, both sealed, one, A, for the meter mechanism and one, B, for the registering mechanism, the lat- ',sealedmeter casin g.

ter, suitably supported above the meter-casing, provided with a packing-box 5, through which I extend a spindle 6, connected to turn the registering-train, and Isuitably connect the spindles 3 and 6, so that the latter is driven by the former. Preferably I provide a flexible connection between the two spindles, t

whereby to permit free motion without undue friction if the spindles should not be absolutely in line or on parallel lines. Thus each spindle has an arm 7, and a pin 8 of one arm bears on the other arm, as shown, so that one is driven by the other.

If the spindle extended continuously from i one casing into the other, it would be necessary to construct the meter and register specially for joint operation; but by using independent spindles extending from the two casings and connected flexibly together it is practicable to adopt the register-casing and its parts for attachment to meters already in use.

Any suitable means may be used for supporting the sealed register-casing above the Preferably the intermediate space is closed, as by a support C in the form of a cap, the top of which forms the bottom of the register-casing, as in, Fig. l, or the register-casing may have an independent bottoln piece 10, and the support C may be a ring, as in Fig. 2. In either case theintermediate chamber should not be sealed tightly, as water cannot pass to the casings, but should be open to external conditions. In either case, also, the invention may be used in connection with meters of ordinary construction by adapting the support C to t the meter and register casin gs after elevating the latter from its usual position on the meter-casing to a position permitting the proper connection of the spindles, as shown in Fig. 3. As each spindle is packed, there is slight chance of leakage around either; but should the pressure in the meter-casing cause leakage the escaping liquid can flow away between the casings without aecting the registering mechanism, and if water should from any cause collect between the two casings it is excluded from the registeringtrain by the sealed casing B. The support C thus applied is adapted for attachment to the mei IOO ter-casing at the same points and in the same manner as the register-casing and has at the top the same bearings for the register-casing as the top of the meter-casing. With such an intermediate support it is practicable to apply the sealed register-casing to the sealed meter-casing and support it thereon, so as to seal each casing independently of the other, it being necessary only to provide in addition a flexible connection between the spindles of the two casings.

Without limiting myself to the precise construction shown, I claim- 1. The com bination of the sealed metencasing, a sealed register-casing supported above the meter-casing, with a space between open to external conditions, independent spindles extending from said casings through packingboxes thereof, and means for flexibly connecting said spindles to permit one to rotate without necessary alinernent with the other, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the meter-casing, of a support in the form of a fianged cap C, and a register-casing of which the cap constitutes the bottom, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. TILDEN.

Witnesses:

HENRY D. WINTON, WM. J. SMITH. 

